WHEELING, W.Va. – Growth experienced and seen along the lines of an athlete with great potential working and far exceeding expectations. The Wheeling Jesuit wrestling track has been on one such program growth. The 2016-17 Cardinals look for more in Year Four in the NCAA Division II national ascension.

For the first time in the short team history, WJU enters the campaign rated third in the Super Region I ranks. The Cardinals also enter the year in a four-way tie at No. 19 in the nation. 

WJU set a new dual match win standard with 11 victories a year ago. The program sees one of the toughest 2016-17 schedule ahead of it to better than win total, but the Cardinals head coach Sean Doyle has his team primed for even more this season.

The Cardinals quest for more begins this Thursday night, Nov. 10, at WJU's McDonough Center. WJU welcomes Alderson Broaddus in a 7 p.m. dual match. An Ohio Valley Showcase eight-match event kicks off the night on the mat at 5:45 p.m. 

After not sending a grappler to the National Championships in its fledgling season, Doyle accompanied three wrestlers two years ago and increased it to four last year.

Senior 149-pounder Dominick Nania and junior 2015 All-American Dustin Warner (125) aim to lead the Cardinals into great heights on the mat. The two wrestling veterans were voted team captains, and rightly so with the top two WJU career win totals of 70 and 58 between them.

The two captains lead the deepest WJU wrestling contingent to date. Nania and Warner join two-time National 133-pound qualifier Nolan Whitely and 285-pound Logan Bowman as returning championship qualifiers. The Cardinals roster also features three more Super Region I placers – Terrance Fanning (197), Keegan Driscoll (174) and Ryan Winslow (184) – and a wealth of newcomers and freshmen talent.

2016-2017 WJU Weight Class Breakdown Preview
 
125lbs
The Cardinals return 2015 All-American and team co-Captain Dustin Warner (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont). After being in the top eight all season, Dustin fell short of qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. The 125-pounder was upset on the second day of the Super Region and finished fifth.

Warner enters a season of redemption as the Super Region I's third-ranked wrestler. The junior finished 25-7 last year with 10 falls. He has posted a program-best .763 winning percentage to go with a 58-18 career record and 19 falls, both second-best in wins and fall, in two years.

Freshman Jake Donahue (Massillon, Ohio/Massillon Washington), a two-time Ohio state placer and four-time state qualifier, will provide strong depth at the weight class. After a high school career of 166-26, Donahue looks for a good start to his college career. Highly-touted freshman and younger brother of Dustin, Tyler Warner (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont) will redshirt this season.
 
133lbs
This 133-pound weight class has two-time NCAA Qualifier Nolan Whitely (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) ready for a third run. Nolan has been a staple at the front end of the Cardinals lineup for two years and ready for another big season. 

With two years of experience on the big stage, Whitely has his sights set on capturing his first All-American honors in March. The junior recorded a solid 27-9 second season with five major decisions, seven tech falls and five pins. The third-rated Region I wrestler holds a 51-20 career record with nine tech falls and six falls.

There is a strong supporting 133-pound cast behind Nolan with upperclassman Josh Henderson (East Liverpool, Ohio/Beaver Local), Jaylen Hill (Canton, Ohio) and Brad Kakos(Columbus, Ohio/Franklin Heights) ready to step in. Henderson went 8-10 two years ago, while Hill and Kakos have eight and 11 WJU wins.

Sophomore Nat Brown (Crownsville, Md./St. Marys) went 4-5 with a pair of falls in his freshman campaign and will look to build off of it. Newcomers Devan Hamrick (Swanton, Md./Southern Garrett) and Logan Adkins (Barboursville, W.Va./Cabell Midland) will be in the mix as well. Hamrick won two Maryland state championships, recorded an undefeated senior season and a 162-15 career record. Adkins registered two West Virginia state runner up and a third place finish for his 137-33 career.

Fourth-year wrestler Scott Lopez (Morgantown, W.Va./University) has taken a semester off to intern with NASA. 
 
141lbs
Unlike WJU's lightest spots, the team's 141-pound entry is a weight class where the team will see a new face in the lineup. A returning wrestlers mixture and new faces will vie for the starting role. Coach Doyle, though, expects the individual earning the spot will have a big year. 

Junior college transfer Daniel Romero (Montclair, Calif./Montclair) has established that he's going to be tough to beat and made a great transition from Rio Hondo College in California to Wheeling. Romero was a two-time stat place winner and JUCO All-American the past two seasons.

Among the returners, Region competitor Kollin Clark (Urichsville, Ohio/Claymont) and junior Tyler Knul (Circlevile, Ohio) have both seen action in the starting line up during their time at WJU and have expectations of earning the starting nod. 

Sophomore Tyler Hogue (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) had one of the best off seasons of any Cardinals wrestlers and continues to show a higher level of wrestling. 

Incoming freshman Brandon Tenney (Buckhannon, W.Va.) and Christian Rivera (Orlando, Fla./Freedom) have hit the ground running and both plan to have big careers at Wheeling Jesuit. Tenney won the 2016 state title in 145, while Rivera was a Florida state place winner.

Overall, the Cardinals possess fantastic 141-pound depth and will create ongoing competition throughout the year for the starting spot. 
 
149lbs
At 149lbs, Wheeling Jesuit fans will get one more opportunity to see Nania (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) hit the mats. Known for his high-scoring and ability to bring the crowd to their feet, Dom enters his senior season as the No. 2 ranked wrestler in the country. 

Nania hit the throttle last year and never let his foot off the gas. The 2016 Super Region's third-place wrestler recorded a team-best 29-9 record and new Cardinals single-season best 16 falls. Over his three years, Nania has a WJU-best 70 career wins and 32 falls. He holds a 70-34 mark for a .673-win percentage.

As the program has done in a number of weight classes, there is plenty of talent and depth to push Dom and challenge him every day. The depth starts with fourth-year wrestler Skyler Terrell (Vienna, W.Va./Parkersburg) has shown signs of wrestling at a very high level throughout his career and comes into the season healthy and prepared. Kyle Harris(Canal Fulton, Ohio/Northwest) is another member of the inaugural class that has been injured most of his three years, but he enters this season as healthy as he's ever been and excited for the year ahead. 

Freshman Dylan Taylor (Wheeling,W.Va./Wheeling Park) and Dakotah Goff (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) come to Wheeling Jesuit with lengthy resumes of success and will make an immediate impact. Taylor finished as a two-time West Virginia state champion and a four-time all-state performer, while he won 140 scholastic matches. Goff was an All-Ohio state wrestler and ended his high school career at 154-33.
 
157lbs
Expectations are high at the 157lbs weight class this season. Peyton Geary (Lindsey, Ohio/Freemont Ross) makes the move down after a strong sophomore season at 165-pounds. After a 13-9 sophomore season, he gives the Cardinals an experienced and seasoned wrestler. 

Third-year wrestler Steven Frazier (Philo, Ohio/Philo) plans to make the move down weights after a few years in the upper weights and looks to make an impact.  

Incoming freshman Greg Brusco (Delaware, Ohio/Delaware Hayes) comes to WJU off of a fantastic high school career, which placed him as one of the better wrestlers in the country. Brusco adds great depth to the weight and will challenge for the starting role early on. The WJU newcomer posted a 167-23 career record and garnered All-Ohio state place winner status each of the last three years. 

Freshman Bailey Jenkins (Cambridge, Ohio/Meadowbrook) will redshirt this season. 
 
165lbs 
Alike the other middle weight positions, the 165-pound mix is loaded with talent, experience, veterans and newcomers for the Cardinals. Sixth-ranked Region wrestler Keegan Driscoll (Hillard, Ohio/Hilliard Bradley) is the returning starter and an individual who proved to be someone the team could count on last season. Driscoll finished an even 13-13 with a pair of falls his freshman campaign.

Junior Reyse Wallbrown (Indian Lake, Ohio/Indian Lake) moves up a weight class after being the starter at 157-pounds last season and looks to build off of his first two years in a Cardinals singlet. Wallbrown recorded a 15-14 and five-fall line a year ago and has posted a 30-29 two-year record.

Anthony 'TJ' Smith (Cleveland, Ohio/Brush) comes off of a redshirt year and after he gained experience in the lineup his first two years. He is preparing for a breakout season and has 14 wins in his first two years. 

Senior Cody Eggers (Cleveland, N.C./West Rowan) enters his last season with the Cardinals and look to finish his career strong. 

Newcomers enter into the WJU lineup include Findlay transfer Nic Skonieczny (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit). Nic has experienced a lot of success in his collegiate career, entering the national ranks last season and will look to cap his career off with the Cardinals. 

Freshman Justice Avery (Dennison, Ohio/Claymont) and JR Renforth (Poland, Ohio/South Range) have both worked extremely hard this preseason and look to have strong starts to their careers at Wheeling Jesuit. Avery was a two-time ECOL champion and recorded 19 tech fall a year ago. Renforth had a 130-41 scholastic record and an Ohio state qualifier as a senior.
 
174lbs
WJU's 174-pound field is very much an open weight class. Without much experience, the Cardinals will be looking to find consistency at this weight class. Third-year wrestler Ki Ryder (Fort Campbell, Ky./Fort Campbell) will be making the move down to 174-pounds and expects to see positive results coming off of his redshirt season. 

Redshirt freshman Tyler Jenkins (Byesville, Ohio/Meadowbrook) has continued to grow in hopes of becoming a full-sized 174-pounder and aims to build off of a solid redshirt season. 

With the depth at 165lbs, there is certainly going to be a number of wrestlers looking to become the starter at 174 pounds this year. 
 
184lbs
The Cardinals 184-pound class is another with great season expectations. A lot of experience and success returns with NCAA Qualifier Sawyer Leppla (Cambridge, Ohio/Cambridge) and two-time Region Placer Ryan Winslow (Jeannette, Pa./Penn Trafford) back off of a redshirt season. 

Leppla will take a redshirt this season as he prepares to finish his WJU career off in style next season. 

Winslow enters the season ranked fifth in the Super Region I stable. He placed in both the 2014 and 2015 region championships and plans to improve and earn his first NCAA bid. Winslow recorded a 19-14 year two seasons ago and holds a 32-19 career record. His 20 career falls rates second on the WJU career list.

Fourth-year wrestler Nate Starkey (Ripley, W.Va./Ripley) gives great depth to this weight and will push for a starting spot. Kale Rayner (Cadwell, Ohio/Cadwell) and Jacob Haynes(Toronto, Ohio/Toronto) will both look to finish their careers strong and give even more depth to the weight class. 

Sophomore John Lessner (Las Vegas, Nev. /Centennial) will be out indefinitely with an injury, but hopes to return second semester. 
 
197lbs
Terrance Fanning (Bruceton Mills, W.Va./Preston County) returns to the Cardinals lineup after a highly-successful redshirt freshman year. In his first competitive WJU season, Fanning looks to improve upon his fifth-place Region finish and end his season on the Birmingham podium. The 197-pound sophomore opens 2016-17 as the No. 3 rated Region wrestler. He registered a 23-8 record, an 11-2 dual match mark and seven tech falls.

Redshirt freshman Chase Logan (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) will return second semester. Following his redshirt season, he hopes to give the Cardinals another great option. 
 
285lbs
In the heavyweight class, the Cardinals have established a great amount of depth. Three Cardinals – Bowman (Fairmont, W.Va./East Fairmont), Corey Siegfried (Canton, Ohio/Canton GlenOak) and Maxwell Lacey (Columbus, Ohio/Canal Winchester) – have all spent significant time in the starting lineup over the past three years. Led by 2016 NCAA Qualifier Bowman, the Cardinals hope to have another individual traveling to Alabama in March. 

The preseason fifth-ranked Region wrestler, Bowman rode a strong second half of last season to his first NCAA qualifying appearance. The redshirt junior went 14-14 with four falls. In his first two seasons, Logan has a 32-30 record and nine falls.

Both Siegfried and Lacey are in their final years in a Cardinals singlet and have full plans to earn the starting role. Siegfried went 9-7 a year ago and maintains a solid 45-31 career mark. The senior has the WJU career decisions wins record of 38.

After a redshirt season last year, Lacey brings a 41-38 career Cardinals record into the season. In his first season, the senior recorded a 22-10 record and followed with a 12-win second year.

Redshirt freshman Seth Bloor (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville) had a strong off season and will push this group for starting mat time. 

Freshman Devin Uzelac (Bloomdale, Ohio/Elmwood) adds youth to a veteran group and will get great training during his first season with the Cardinals. 

Senior Dustin Kuhlwein (Ostrander, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) will graduate this year.